T 23

The Junkers T 23 was a small, low‑wing, all‑metal monoplane built by the German company Junkers in the early 1920s. Developed as a follow‑up to the successful Junkers T 16, the T 23 was intended as a trainer and light utility aircraft for both civil clubs and military flight schools. First flown in 1923, the prototype featured the characteristic Junkers corrugated duralumin skin and a cantilever wing that eliminated external bracing, an innovation that gave the type a clean aerodynamic profile and reduced drag. Powered by a 80 hp Le Rhône rotary engine, the two‑seat layout placed the student and instructor side by side under a wide, glazed cockpit, providing excellent visibility. Its fixed, split‑axle under‑carriage and simple, robust construction made it easy to maintain on the rudimentary airfields of the era. Although only a handful were built before the design was superseded by the more powerful Junkers T 26, the T 23 demonstrated the advantages of all‑metal construction and contributed to the development of later Junkers trainers such as the Ju 87 Stuka’s predecessor. The aircraft therefore occupies a modest but important place in aviation history as an early example of durable, efficient monoplane design that paved the way for the metal aircraft revolution of the interwar period.